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About the time we moved is when I was last posting here...that was, oh, 6 years ago? LOL

The children are now 15, 14 and 12. Actually tomorrow, they will be 16, 14 and 12 with the other 2 having birthdays in November and January.

What you all do not know about is my 4th child. This little bundle of joy entered our lives in January, entered our home 2 weeks ago. He is 16, will be 17 in October, and his name is Clint. He was a child without a home while trying to reconcile differences with his family. We have temporary guardianship of him until that reconciliation can come about, or until he graduates. Now think about this...4 teenage mouths to feed...3 of them BOYS! LOL

I am working full-time now and the oldest 2 are in high school. Until this year, Drake (the baby) remained home educated. However, we have a wonderful private school on our road and they have graciously reduced his tuition and is allowing him to attend school 3 days one week, 4 the next. This gives him every other Thursday to work with his grandad and every Friday at hom with his daddy.

I am still trying to get use to the fact that my children are in government schools. I don't like it, but that is where we are at in our lives right now. 2 years ago, Duane had to go back to work in Nashville to have any kind of job that pays. We refuse to give up our home that we JUST moved into a month ago to move back. He is now looking for employment closer to home now that the job market is a bit more "meaty" than it use to be.

Kristin is playing high school soccer, bowling and running track. She and her boyfriend took 12th place out of 83 in the Tennessee State Youth Bowling Tournament in March. Kyle is playing Freshman football (this is his first year in gov't school--Krisi's 3rd year), bowling and playing men's soccer. He didn't bowl as well in the youth tournaments, but is looking forward to his first year bowling high school. Drake (and Kyle) bowled in our local youth league on Saturdays last year. Drake and his partner took 1st place in their division, locally. They didn't do well in state, but Drake's partner decided not to go last minute so he was stuck with someone who had a much lower average than he. Clint is a bowler as well, and we are trying to get him into another sport. He was never encourage or allowed to do more than the one, and I would like for him to be busy with either a job or activity...and honestly, I prefer the activity.

Drake, too, is an awesome bowler at the age of 12 with a 130 average! He also plays basketball for the same school he will be attending. Both boys played last year as this league has a rule ALLOWING home educators to play.

So, to recap: 4 kids, 8 school sports...and let's not ask about the YOUTH CENTER or CHURCH LEAGUE sports. Hey, I know where my kids are at ALL times! LOL

About 4 years ago I started having major health issues. I was told I had rheumatoid arthritis and lupus and to go home, sit and die...painfully. This quack wouldn't send me to a specialist (I had to have a referral) so I went to my ins. co., told the story and got my PCP changed PLUS the referral from the ins. co. themselves! When it was confirmed that I did NOT have either disease, we were back to the drawing board (the BLOOD drawing board that is!). I had severe anemia...at that time 10.2. The cause, horrible menstrual cycles. By the time I got to my gynecologist in January of 2004, my hemoglobin was 7.6 and steadily declining. It was discovered that I had a fibroid tumor and a re-section was in order. In April I had the re-section, In May I found myself in the hospital in severe abdominal pain. Long story short: I went back to my gyn. on June 1st, 2004 and discussed options. The original tumor was the size of my uterus. They couldn't get it all and he wanted to finish the resection. I declined. He finally said my only option left was a hysterectomy. I simply replied, "Now you are talking."

On July 12th, 2004, I underwent a complete hysterectomy. (My kids went to camp that week, which is why I waited. Kept me from having to find child care and no one but my hubby, my church and my parents knew about my surgery! Not even hubby's elderly parents as they were in poor health and would have insisted on being at the hospital every second. Hey, I even made dh go to work as my surg. was in Nashville only 10 mins from his office!)

AnyWHO, they found a MESS when they got in there to get everything out...I will spare the gory details. Just suffice it to say that there was GREAT reasoning for my pain. The day I had my surgery, my hemoglobin was 5.2. The day after my surgery it was 4.9. On Thursday, they called my husband to come in from work. They talked about putting me in a coma because I was not coming around. Hubby asked for them to give me 2 units of blood and see what Friday brought. If I was still weak, then he would consent. I remember waking up on Friday, and on Saturday, while our friend picked up the kids from camp, I was coming home. :)

Today I am having OTHER health issues (bulging disk), but I am stronger and healthier than I have been in a long time. I need to lose MAJOR weight (it would help the disk), but at least I am not anemic any more.

HHHMMM, there is plenty more, but I AM at work and need to do a few things. I will check back soon.